Bike Routes Journey From "Love Is An Action" To "Prairie"

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_08 0:06

I fucking love that. I'm the worst person to have a podcast.

SPEAKER_04 0:16

I feel very What is up, everybody?

SPEAKER_08 0:31

Welcome back to the show. I am your host, Harley, joined as always by my co-host and little sister, Taylor.

SPEAKER_05 0:38

Hello.

SPEAKER_08 0:39

Hey, we have an incredibly special guest. Um, David from the band Bike Routes is here. We've got a new album coming out, June 26th, called Prairie. Um, but as of right now, if you could go grab uh Love is an Action, that album is absolutely incredible. Uh have a copy of it right here. So this is from your tour with Hawthorne Heights back in where was it? Richmond, Virginia. The acoustic set. Yeah, yeah. Hell yeah, man. Um, so that was my first introduction to you. I went for Hawthorne Heights, yeah, fell in love with bike routes.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

That's awesome, very cool. Well, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_08 1:33

Um, we're gonna dive into a lot of the new album. Yeah, uh, but first off, I just want to say as a lyrist, your writing is absolutely incredible.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 1:46

Truly breathtaking. You the way that you are able to construct the the words in your songs, the emotions, um, the way that you can really like have imagery to the way that I specifically was feeling during that time, and a lot of people are feeling. Um, you you don't take any like you're full throttle, man. You don't take any like breaks, you're you're punching right in the gut every time. Every song is insane.

SPEAKER_03 2:19

Sorry.

SPEAKER_08 2:21

No, no, it's it's absolutely incredible. Uh my first question for you is the most common thing that I've seen in your writing is this common theme of uh dogs and and the interaction of dogs with man, and like capsulating the idea of like the pureness of an animal mixed with the wretchedness

Why Dogs Keep Showing Up

SPEAKER_08 2:50

of humankind.

SPEAKER_05 2:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 2:52

How how do you come up with those lines and why is it such a through line in in your writing?

SPEAKER_03 2:58

Um I think it's because I grew up with dogs, obviously, and uh from like a young age, I always had a dog in the house that was always there on the good days and the bad days, you know. It's kind of like what I write about. But like truly, like at the end of any day, I was like, at least I can go home and I can lie down with Molly or Lucy or Ginger or Stella or like any of the dogs I had in my life, you know. It's like uh, or any dog in general. Uh, I'm the first in my friend group, anywhere we go, if there's a dog somewhere, I'm like getting on ground level. I'm lying down on that floor and rolling around with that dog. And I think they are just they just, yeah, they are just like goodness encapsulated. You know, they don't know anything else besides like you know, goodness, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 3:55

Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, the the line uh from uh your song, the uh what is it, Blessed by the Goodness of Dogs, uh, where you you talk about um it doesn't matter when you come home, whether whether it's you're getting home from a what was it, a birthday party or a funeral.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Yeah, like a wedding or a funeral.

SPEAKER_08 4:14

Yeah, a wedding or a funeral. Like that's such that's really man, even that, like something so simple and beautiful can still hit you so hard in the heart because you're like, Yeah, man, it it for me, I love dogs. I have two dogs, I've had dogs my entire life. Taylor has had dogs her entire life. Um, but for me, it was like so many times as a pet owner, we all are guilty of being like, I don't want to throw that ball right now. I don't want to to run around or play, or you know, I I have other things, other human things going on. But to a dog, it's like he's just so happy that you're home. And like that the dude, Taylor. All right, all right, all right. Um, but like it's it's it's such a beautiful concept, man. Like, truly. Um so tell me a little bit about Jesse.

SPEAKER_03 5:14

Uh Jesse was one of my friends who passed away uh eight years ago now. It's been it's been a few years now, but uh he was kind of just a person

Jesse And Learning Real Loss

SPEAKER_03 5:30

in my friend group, in my like band's friend group. Uh he actually used to live with my drummer at my drummer's parents' house. Uh he lived in the garage. They had an unattached garage at their house, and he lived in the garage, like actually lived in the garage. And we would just go, like every night after work, I'd go to the garage, you know, and we'd hang out in there. And like it was just a very formative time for me. It was right out of high school, literally, like the the fall after high school is when I kind of met everyone in my band and got like enveloped in the local scene outside of just like my small hometown scene, you know, it kind of like branched out from there. And that like year and a half, two years where we were just like in the garage every night was just like very formative time in my life where I met all my best friends in the world. And that was also the first case of loss that I had to deal with. That wasn't like my grandparents, you know. I feel like grandparents are uh everyone's kind of like stepping stones into loss in like a very strange way. But like that is one, like everything we learn from our grandparents, that is another thing that I feel like they are like meant to teach us, I guess, as kids, you know, like that is for like not for everyone, obviously, but like for a lot of people, like their grandparents are the first loss that they experience. So outside of like that type of loss, this is the first kind of like peer-level loss that affected me very deeply because it was someone that I saw every day, you know, and it was someone that I had this bond with that wasn't like like familial or like anything, like it was someone that I connected with on my own uh like free will that was now just like kind of gone forever. And it was kind of something that like uh yeah, you know, just the learning lesson, but also not to say it was a lesson, but it was like just a big moment in all of our lives, I would say.

SPEAKER_08 7:50

Would would you say that kingdom um is almost written from the sense of like heaven then? Is is kingdom in reference to heaven, or is it more of the kingdom of that garage? You know what I mean? Is it more of a.

SPEAKER_03 8:03

Yeah, it's more of a kingdom of like where like the garage or uh where I went, I would go, I would go down the shore a lot afterwards uh to a very specific street, 7th Street, and like yeah, that's kind of what I'm saying, like baptizing salt at the kingdom, like going in the ocean, you know, and it's like things like that, where it was like I would go and just kind of like sit there and like take it all in and like stare out at the ocean. And it's kind of like, yeah, I don't know, kind of like I said, like if if there is a God, I don't know. You know, I'm not a lot of people think some of my lyrics, I'm like, I get asked a lot if I'm like a religious person, but it's kind of funny. I'm not like I I'm kind of just like uh it's impossible that we're here to begin with, you know, with the stars. Like, I don't know. So I'm I'm not really a religious person, which is something that like I get asked a lot, but uh yeah, I think kingdom is more so like where we go, like the kingdoms we build for ourselves to like find that peace or find that like connection again, you know.

SPEAKER_08 9:13

Yeah, writing to the ghost of Jesse in that song, yeah. Did that did that provide the closure that you needed in that moment?

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Yeah, I think so. Because it was uh another thing is like I feel like I remember a lot of my dreams in vivid detail. Like my whole life I've been able to, and I remember having like a lot of the things I write about, people are like, oh, you add like that's actually what you're writing about. I'm like, yeah, I'm like just saying what happened, you know. Like I did have a dream where like a few months later, I had a dream, like Jesse snuck up behind me, and like he scared me, and I was like, whoa, and then we were all there, we're like, Oh, laugh jokes on us, you know, like vibe. So it's like, yeah, I feel like having that and like having that dream and then writing that song, I was like, it definitely helped a lot, I'd say. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 10:09

Spe speaking of dreams, um talking about the the vivid imagery in your music, the dream of um suffocating underwater.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 10:21

Is that a vivid dream that you did have?

SPEAKER_03 10:24

Yeah, I would say like it's the same as like uh like waking up when you're like falling in a dream, you know, where you're kind of

Dreams OCD And Mental Health

SPEAKER_03 10:33

jolted away. Like I've definitely had that a few times, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 10:36

Um is mental health something that you've struggled with over the years?

SPEAKER_03 10:42

Yeah, uh growing up, it was I won't I wouldn't say worse, but growing up, I had uh really bad, I have OCD, and I had it really bad growing up, and it was kind of unchecked and untherapized, unmedicated, you know. It was kind of something I struggled with growing up a lot, and we didn't realize until I was about like 18 that that's what a lot of it was. And I went to therapy for it and was kind of able to like recognize a lot of things in my life and a lot of things in my youth, and uh so yeah, like I grew up with really bad anxiety about things that didn't really matter, or like things that didn't even exist, I guess, you know. So it was very but also I'm like a very happy-go-lucky guy. So it's uh it's kind of that, and I feel like people see that in my music, they'll listen to my music, but then they'll meet me, and they'll be like, What?

SPEAKER_08 11:43

Well, I mean, in that show, that was what I fell in love with about you. You come on the stage, you're like, Hey guys, I'm Dave, and then you just jump in and you're just this like you're dancing around, uh you did this this fantastic like dance during airplane and got everybody engaged, and you're just yeah, so go lucky and friendly. And then I'm sitting there and I'm listening to these words, and I'm like, Oh shit, this is deep, like this is really deep. And um, yeah, once once I got the vinyl and started listening to it on vinyl, I I just couldn't stop. I I left that show and I I literally listened to it every day for like 10 days straight. Like I was I was obsessed, man.

SPEAKER_01 12:23

Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 12:24

Um so so uh writing from that kind of perspective and and melancholy that that came out of uh your OCD, we transition now to Prairie, which is uh quite literally a not not just a sonic change, a writing change, uh uh a complete redirection

Why Prairie Marks A New Era

SPEAKER_08 12:48

of you as an artist.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

Yeah.

(Cont.) Why Prairie Marks A New Era

SPEAKER_03 12:59

Um yes, I do, but I also think it has a lot to do with uh yeah, I guess it does stem mostly like from that and like growing up and like starting to recognize things inside of myself and like you know, mentally. And uh, but it also is kind of like the growth musically, I guess, in terms of like when I did loves in action, I we went into recording that. I record that with my friend Zach. Uh, and we went into recording Loves in Action thinking it would only be an acoustic record. So there wasn't supposed to be drums or bass, there wasn't supposed to be any like full band elements on that record actually, until we started working on it. And like I brought the songs and we were like, oh, airplane, like drums, and like then it was like, Well, if we're doing drums on one, let's see what happens. And we kind of built the record off of that idea. But I'd say with Prairie, we went into it way more with like a okay, we can be a full band, we can put these elements into it off the bat, and we wrote the songs together off the bat, so it wasn't because as a musician, I always say I'm not really a musician, I only know like a few chords, like growing up playing biker shows, I would play acoustic and I would only play like I only know the basic chords, and that's how I wrote all my songs, and that's kind of why I had to focus so heavily on my lyrics, because I knew I wasn't gonna be shredding like Jimi Hendrix or anything, you know. So I had to captivate people another way, so I think I always focused more on my lyrics, but that's why with Prairie, I feel like I was able to really focus on my lyrics while also being able to really focus on like the sonic soundscape of it all.

SPEAKER_08 14:54

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The so the the sonic side of it and transitioning to uh far more production for sure, yeah. Um, but also uh experimentation, a lot of synth work, a lot of uh minor details in the production process that like you really have to listen in on the album. Um so but lyrically, I want to tackle a couple of these things here. I I apologize, I am a little sick.

SPEAKER_05 15:23

No, you're all good.

SPEAKER_08 15:25

Um so it is more of like a like a front-to-back story for the the last album. The last album felt more like uh this is a collection of my thoughts. Yeah. But this one feels like a consecutive storyline, uh almost a concept.

SPEAKER_03 15:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 15:42

Tell me a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_03 15:44

Um yeah, it was it so I think it all started with I would have these writing trips where we were like writing songs, but not like anything uh cemented. Like everything we wrote was kind of like subject to change. And it wasn't until like we got a few songs in where I was like, I

Two Narrators And Running Away

SPEAKER_03 16:09

feel like a big theme on Prairie is like running and like getting away from like you know, the world, I guess. And I think it became apparent early on to me that there was two people talking on the record, and this isn't even something I've like thought too much about, or like I've thought a lot about it, but I haven't like written down exactly what I mean yet, I guess. But I think there's definitely two narratives happening on Prairie, and one is definitely like a darker narrative, and the other one is definitely like the happy go-lucky, you know, narrative where it's like because I feel like on Prairie there's a lot of songs that there's like cursing on now, and I feel like I was never against cursing, but I feel like now Prairie is kind of like a record that I'll say this Prairie is the record that I always like envisioned making when I was like 18. So it just took a while to get here, but like Prairie is definitely the record that like all these years of hard work has like led up to and like has been released through like Prairie, and I think there's a lot of songs on it that are like a lot harsher, and I feel like that's from one person's point of view, and there's a lot of songs that are a lot like kind of more tongue-in-cheek, like kind of just like whatever, you know. And I feel like that's from the other person's point of view.

SPEAKER_08 17:33

So, so this is this is my take on I same thing, I felt the same exact way. Yeah, it's a story about two different people, two different lives trying to run and escape those lives, but somehow also interconnecting with each other, yeah. And that interconnection led me to um Journeys Don't Stop Believing. It yeah, like you kind of wrote like the backstory for the two people on the train.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

Yeah, like absolutely, that's the perfect way to put it, actually. That's yeah, that's exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 18:04

Yeah, it dude, it's it's it's really awesome, and it's dark, it's very, very dark, it's very uh rigid. Um, you're pushing a lot vocally. Um you you almost do like this. Uh, are you are you a fan of a band called Spanish Love Songs?

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Yeah, we've we've toured with them actually.

SPEAKER_08 18:22

Yeah, so you do like this this very like very Spanish love songs uh sound with your vocals, and I caught on to it immediately to the point where I actually almost was like, Is this him on this track? Like I was like, did they get him to feature this track? Uh specifically Shadows. Yeah, there's like a partial partial section of Shadows where it almost seems like your voice changes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:51

That's very funny.

SPEAKER_08 18:53

Tell me a little more about Shadows, though. To me, that's like the darkest song on the album.

SPEAKER_03 19:00

Yeah, yeah. I feel like that one is definitely like the the if it's a spectrum, like that's the farthest it goes, like one way. But at the same time, I I struggle because I'm also like, it is kind of like the tongue-in-cheek one, too, where it's like, fuck it, you know, it's like yeah, like

Breaking Down The Song Shadows

SPEAKER_03 19:20

fuck it. Like, so it kind of uh, I'm not sure how it comes off yet for me, I guess. Is if it's I don't know who's singing it yet, you know, I guess in my brain. I've I've gone back and forth a lot, but Shadows was one that got written very quickly, I will say. Like once I had once I was rolling, uh, I finished Shadows in like a day, you know, like less than a day, maybe. I was like, it kind of wrote itself, you know. It was once I knew like what the vibe was and what I was going for, it was just yeah.

SPEAKER_08 20:00

It it has this this significant um aggression to the to the emotion of of the singer. Um it also, like you said, has that like tongue-in-cheek, like, well, fuck it. It is what it is at this point. You know, it's like a full spectrum of like acceptance, yeah, and then it leads into the song about acceptance.

SPEAKER_04 20:21

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_08 20:23

Um I I know that you write a lot from personal experience. Is there a love that you lost that you're writing about in this album and a love that you found in this album?

SPEAKER_03 20:41

Um, I don't know if there's a love I've lost that I'm singing about, like in terms of at least like uh a human love, you know. I think it's a lot of times I just draw from uh metaphors or books that I've read, you know. Like I feel like I draw from a lot of things, but I would say there's definitely a love that I've found uh through this album, and it's just kind of like a love for if anything, like a love for this journey that I'm on even more. Like I kind of am always in shock that anyone likes my band at all. You know, it was always supposed to just be like a little project I wrote songs for my friends for. So I think it's maybe not a love, but like a I've always had an appreciation for it. Like I've always I don't know. I feel like I've just this album being done, and it I feel like this truly is like the culmination of like 10 years of hard work, 10 years of love from myself and from my family and from my friends, like in belief. Like I feel like there's definitely a new found love in all of that that wasn't possible before, I guess.

SPEAKER_08 21:58

Right.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 21:59

Um the The song, uh, the opening song, hometown.

SPEAKER_05 22:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 22:03

You're from a very small hometown. Taylor, and you're from a very small hometown. Um, that song is like literally the encapsulation of what I think of when I think of a hometown. Like, yeah, like lit it's so hard when you have friends that are from big cities, because I assume you've probably moved out of your hometown, right? You're now probably in a big city,

Hometown Pride And Rust Belt Feelings

SPEAKER_08 22:24

and like a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 22:25

I'm still on the edge, actually. I'm like on the edge of Philly and suburbs still.

SPEAKER_08 22:29

Oh, there you go. Yeah. So like when I moved and and started developing connections here, people would ask me about where I'm from, and it's so hard to describe the Rust Belt, yeah. Who don't understand it?

SPEAKER_02 22:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 22:44

And you, sir, wrote the Rust Belt song. Like, and I didn't even think of New Jersey as part of it. That was the crazier part. I was like, Yeah, I guess kind of, but like, yeah, I mean it it nail in the coffin on that one.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_08 23:00

Is that song about escape or is it about appreciation?

SPEAKER_03 23:05

Um both, I'd say. Uh I in like a very anti-pop punk way, like, I don't hate my hometown, you know, like I don't hate where I came from. Uh I definitely like growing up, you do, you know, you're like, oh, I'm gonna get out of here. But like as you age and as you grow up, and it's like I I feel as though I was raised well. And I feel like a lot of my like my moral compass, my you know, how I view the world, I feel like is all partially because of where I grew up and like the community that raised me and the people that raised me. And so I think I'm self-aware enough to be like thank you, you know, and like I do appreciate that. And like, yeah, obviously when I was like 16 and 17, I was like, oh, this place sucks.

SPEAKER_08 24:06

But like uh now that I'm 27, 28, I'm like, oh, uh yeah, I see the world as I want it, like in a good way, I guess, you know, like and yeah, so the hometown becomes nostalgic, you know. Yeah, I I like to think of it as like when I when I talk about my hometown, I'm always the first because of coming from a small town, you always recognize like how shitty it is. So like you tell people, like, oh, you think it's bad here, yeah, yeah, yeah. My town. But let if they say one bad word about my town, I'm like, you get the fuck out of here. You don't really know.

SPEAKER_03 24:48

Yeah, well, it's also I feel like being from Jersey, Jersey in is in and of itself gets a bad rep, you know, from the rest of the country. Like, oh, I'm from Jersey, like, oh, but I'm from South Jersey, and I feel like when people think of Jersey, they think of either the Jersey short or they think of like Newark, North Jersey. I grew up in like the Pine Barrens, which is like the biggest like pine tree capital of the entire world. So I'm like, I literally grew up in the woods, like I didn't grow up like in a factory town or like in like Newark, like a city. Like I grew up like in a very rural type area, and I feel like Opposite Jersey is like that, and a lot of people don't think of that when they think of Jersey at all. So I feel like that is another thing where I'm like, no, we're not from like Jersey, we're from Jersey, you know.

SPEAKER_08 25:43

So I feel like that's also something when like people ask me about it, and I always have to preface, I'm like, yes, but you know, well, and and you sing about all these great places because you sing about the skills, you think you sing about the uh the lake, uh, what is it?

SPEAKER_01 25:59

Wis whissa, yeah, with the Hinckin, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 26:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, so like those are really cool like Easter eggs for anybody from that area. Yeah, yeah. Um let's talk a little bit about uh runners real quick. Yeah. So obviously, we've established there is this theme of running.

SPEAKER_02 26:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 26:20

This one seems to be more about like loss and rejection as an artist, yeah. Like the people closest to you, that rejection of like

Runners And Feeling Unseen

SPEAKER_08 26:39

not even rejection, I guess, but like uninterested perspective of like, yeah, hey, look at this thing I made, and they're like, Yeah, cool. You know, it is that kind of what you're trying to say in that song.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

Yeah, and I think it's it's funny if like shadows is one end. I feel like runners is the response to shadows, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh but yeah, and it definitely is like that. Uh that's definitely like, you know, hey, not everyone's a poet, you know. It's like uh, yeah, I feel like that's the in the you know, music world and whatnot, like it's hard to be like, uh, please take me serious when you're like when you're like a happy go-white guy, and then you're like, no, but I promise, like, I actually want to do music, you know. But I will say I got I'm very lucky and like blessed, and it's a miracle. Like my parents from the jump were like, follow your dreams, you know, they were like, whatever you want to do. Uh, because at first I was like, I never went to school, I didn't go to college right out of high school. I started, you know, working on music and like getting involved, I guess. But I did get into three colleges, and like my senior year of high school, I was like, guess I gotta go to college. And it wasn't until like actually the cutoff where I think I brought my dad with me to like a show or something, and he was like, you know, if you want to take a few years off, like you don't have to go to school, like, school's not going anywhere, like you can give this a try, and then obviously from there it snowballed into what it is now, but like I will say, in terms of like my peers in my family, like I've always been very supported in writing and music and everything, so yeah, that's so interesting to me because one of the the big things that I wanted to talk to you about was the song Delayed Gratification.

SPEAKER_08 28:42

Yeah, it's my favorite song of yours, yeah. It's the one that hits me the hardest. Um and for you to say you have this uh incredible support base, especially your parents, when I I have highlighted, I actually copied all of the lyrics and put it on my my document here because I have highlighted here that final uh paragraph.

Delayed Gratification And Family Support

SPEAKER_08 29:07

Um anyone else would have sold that car for spare parts, but you built it back piece by piece until it would finally start. No one in this family is so musically inclined, but I remember when I was young, you'd sing to me every single night. I definitely thought that maybe there was some friction of support with your dad.

SPEAKER_03 29:31

No, honestly, it's it's more so delayed gratification is something in my family that we would say a lot. Uh like growing up, my dad would always be like, he'd try and get me to like build models with him and like do things like that. And I would always be like interested, but I was never like that. I was never like passionate about that. I was never like, let's go build models, you know, or like let's go fishing or let's go do something. And I think he would always be like, delay grafication, you're just gonna go play video games. Like, and I'd be like, Well, I'd be like, Yeah, I'm gonna go play video games. Uh, and I think that song for me is my like flag in the hill and being like, this is delayed graphication for me. Like, I wrote these songs, I wrote this record, I wrote, you know, music is what I found to be my thing that very much requires delayed graphication, you know, like I'll record these songs and then they won't come out for like a year and a half. It's like so. I think it's more so like me and my dad are like best friends, honestly, where there's not really any friction, but it is still like with a best friend, you know, you can be like, what's up, what's up? So uh is that where like because when I was writing this album, he was restoring my great uncle passed away like 15 years ago, and he left my dad an old 1964 Porsche that hasn't run in like 30 years, and he restored it over the course of like 10 years, you know. Like my entire like middle school, high school career, my dad was like working on this Porsche, and then nowadays, like he drives it to like car shows and stuff. That's a lot while he was doing that. I was like, I'm also working on something though, like you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 31:26

So is that kind of where the line comes in? Um, where you're kind of like uh I want to find it here. Um uh uh where you where you say, uh I swear I've learned my lesson, look at all the things I do. Is that kind of where you're saying? So that's kind of your way of saying, like, hey, I know I know you're doing this and I know you'd be interested in that, but look at everything I have done.

SPEAKER_03 31:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 31:52

That makes a lot more sense.

SPEAKER_03 31:53

I was paying attention like growing up, yeah. All those things you taught me. I just I just moved them into something that made sense to me, you know.

SPEAKER_08 32:01

That makes a lot more sense. Yeah, that is not how I was taking it.

SPEAKER_03 32:05

I know a few people have asked me about that. I'm always like, because my dad, like now that like whenever we play shows in Philly, like my parents will come and like all my friends growing up, like loved my parents. My dad would drive us all the shows. So, like, my dad is like a superstar at my shows in Philly. Like, all my friends are like buying him drinks now and stuff, you know.

SPEAKER_08 32:26

Um, there's one other line in there that I want to cover that I thought was such an incredible metaphor analogy um of like anyone who has dealt with anxiety and knowing your situation now. Yeah, this makes so much sense. Uh, especially like I I feel this deep down. Um the line is uh let's see here. Okay, so uh the line is, but I don't think I want to come home tonight, or I'm I don't think I'm gonna come home tonight, and I want to die in a fireball on the highway driving this old 88. Yeah, now I have a nosebleed on 295, and I'm praying that I make it home alive. Which is such a perfect way, like when you're like, I'm going to drive this car off of a cliff. Like I am, I'm leaving this life behind one way or another. And then you immediately have like the slightest, like, well, now my elbow hurts. Yeah, you need to get home.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

I'm like, I'm dying, oh my god, I'm dying. You know, it's like, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 33:32

It's such a it's such a clever way to kind of talk about that that anxious feeling of like needing a change in your life, especially OCD, ADHD, like just needing this this constant change and understanding that you need this feeling of like acceptance and and gratification, and when you're not getting it, that feeling of like I'm just going to end everything in one way or another. Either I'm going to take this car off of a cliff or I'm going to just keep driving and just never go home.

SPEAKER_02 34:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 34:08

And then immediately the the fallback of, well, now I have this other issue, or you start thinking about like everything else, and you're like, I have to go home because XYZ, like you build yourself these excuses, and uh, I think that's such a cool way to put that. Um the coolest thing about delayed gratification and that line specifically is when we move into the good curse on Prairie, I feel like that song takes that line and moves past to now you're in the situation where you don't have those thoughts anymore, yeah, and you

The Good Curse And Choosing Life

SPEAKER_08 34:53

are expressing how much you do want to live and you have something to live for.

SPEAKER_02 34:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 34:58

Is that about anything in particular?

SPEAKER_03 35:01

That's the good curse was honestly, it was one of the first songs we wrote for this record, and I was like, it was either gonna be the opener or the closer. Like I knew it was like, and then we wrote homework ban or whatever, and I was like, okay, those are the perfect like bookends, you know. Uh, but I'd say the good curse is kind of the culmination of things like homework band and like delayed graphication, you know, where it's like, yeah, like something, something's changed, you know, something coming over from the inside out, you know, like something is definitely changing in me for the better. Uh and yeah, it's still just like kind of that grateful feeling, I think.

SPEAKER_08 35:47

Yeah, yeah. I love that, man. I love that this new album is such a reflection of your career and an advancement and and a message to yourself in the future, uh, to your past self, basically saying, like, look at what we've done. You know what I mean? And that's that's such a cool accomplishment. Um, Prairie, June 26th comes out. Check it out, check out all of Bike Route's music. Um, I have a couple more quick questions and we'll jump into the game. Um so your dad, your mom, you have this really wonderful support group.

SPEAKER_03 36:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 36:25

What is something that you want to leave them a message for you know them to have for the rest of their lives and yours?

SPEAKER_03 36:34

Um, I think the overall gratitude and uh kind of disbelief of it all, you know, I feel like the songs, all the songs I write, like they're always the first to hear it. And that's always how it's been, you know. Like I write the songs, and as long as they like them, like we're in the clear, you know. Like, that's always how it's been for me. Is like I always say I would write these songs no matter what, even if like there was no world out there to hear it. Uh, I'd still like all these songs would still exist to some capacity and they'd be played to my friends and family, you know. Um so I think that's just like the overall thank you and gratitude that I had for them in general.

SPEAKER_08 37:23

I love that. Um now you're still very young. Um what do you want to say to yourself 30 years from now?

SPEAKER_03 37:34

Um I hope I hope nothing's changed, honestly. I always say already, like I think like the dreams I had when I first started doing music have already long since come true. You know, like I've been living in the bonus now. So I think as long as you know I keep keep doing what I want to do and keep doing like you know, staying true to myself, I think that'll be that'll be enough for 50, 60 year old Dave.

SPEAKER_08 38:18

Um you recently met Bruce Springsteen.

SPEAKER_01 38:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 38:22

I have to ask Bruce Springsteen or My Chemical Romance, which one are you picking? You have to choose one or the other.

SPEAKER_03 38:35

I think I have to pick Bruce, honestly. They both definitely played so this the chronological order

Springsteen Debate And Dream Collabs

SPEAKER_03 38:46

of it all is I grew up listening to Bruce because of my dad and my elk romance because of my sister, like at when I was in like first grade, you know, like so. Both of those things were the only things on my MP3 player. But I think uh oh god, it's so hard actually. But I think I would say Bruce, just because of how uh expansive his catalog is, and how I can definitely go to any album for any day of the week and like right feeling and vibe, you know, and find what I'm looking for.

SPEAKER_08 39:23

I think all of New Jersey would have revolted if you said anything besides Bruce Springsteen. I know, I know. I think we picked the same answer. Um, but honestly, that's so cool, man. You got to meet Bruce Springsteen. Yeah. Um would that be somebody that you would like to collaborate with if you have the opportunity? Like, do you think that do you think his sound fits your sound?

SPEAKER_03 39:49

Um yeah, absolutely. I think uh well, maybe not his sound fits my sound, but that's absolutely someone I'd want to collab with, you know. But oh, of course. Uh yeah, I don't know. I feel like the thing with bike roots and like what I write is I don't really know what sound I want to write when I'm writing, even, you know, so I think any any like genre of song could come out from this project. And I I think as long as it was like something that I wrote and something that I believed in, it would still feel like a biker spike rat song, you know.

SPEAKER_08 40:30

I I think I think that your storytelling and his story storytelling really work hand in hand, truly. Like you're both these incredible storytellers, man. And I think that a collaboration on that level alone would be yeah, incredible and 100% doable.

SPEAKER_04 40:49

Yeah. Um absolutely.

SPEAKER_08 40:51

How do you feel about the band Blue October?

SPEAKER_03 40:55

I'm not that uh aware, I guess.

SPEAKER_08 41:00

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_07 41:01

Well you would love them.

SPEAKER_08 41:03

I I was gonna say this album, this album, Prairie, I think that uh he would be an incredible collaborator uh for a future project. I think he has a very, very similar vibe and sound that like you guys could truly make something incredible together. So awesome.

SPEAKER_01 41:26

If I can observe, I will, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 41:29

Um so now we move on to the portion of the show where we get to ask Taylor, my wonderful little sister, what she's been working on for the last 40 minutes.

SPEAKER_07 41:41

It's not ready.

SPEAKER_08 41:42

Oh, okay. We can keep vamping, we're good. Um I I have more.

SPEAKER_07 41:49

It's not ready. I have finishing touches, I got really involved in it. Sorry, guys.

SPEAKER_08 41:53

That's

Tour Plans And Release Shows

SPEAKER_08 41:54

okay. Um, can you tell me a little bit about the next time you might be coming to my neck of the woods?

SPEAKER_03 42:02

Yeah, where you said Richmond, right?

SPEAKER_08 42:04

Yeah, Virginia. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 42:06

Virginia, I believe, and maybe twice this summer, actually. I believe in June. For sure in June, I want to say, but maybe in August as well. I'm not sure. But I know I'm pretty sure for sure in June, but yeah.

SPEAKER_08 42:26

I will be at that show.

SPEAKER_03 42:28

Awesome, hell yeah.

SPEAKER_08 42:30

Um what other dates do you have coming up? I know you've got the album releasing in June.

SPEAKER_02 42:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 42:36

What do you have coming up? Uh, we'll just say in June, because this will come out slowly right before.

SPEAKER_03 42:43

Yeah, we definitely have uh some like release shows around June and around June 26th that are still getting planned. But yeah, around the end of June we have some stuff. Uh we have some, that's what I mean. We have some stuff in the works in August, but I'm not entirely sure yet on solid dates or anything. And then yeah, I think from there we just see what happens, you know. Keep rocking, keep keep rolling. Yeah, heck yeah.

SPEAKER_08 43:15

All right, Taylor, are you ready?

SPEAKER_07 43:16

I'm ready. Okay, okay, I'm nervous for this one.

SPEAKER_08 43:20

All right.

SPEAKER_07 43:22

So, this is what I've been working on. I'm an artiste. This is everything from our conversation today. We have you. I was trying something new. So we have you. Um, we had New Jersey with all your fans. Wow. Outlining it. We got the car that

Taylor’s Art Tribute Reveal

SPEAKER_07 43:47

your dad was working on.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

Wasn't sure the colors went with blue.

SPEAKER_01 43:51

It's it's honestly it's like a silverish blue. That's pretty good. That's good.

SPEAKER_07 43:56

That's what I felt my bones. Um, some hearts. Because you love your fans and your family so much. Hell yeah. Your parents being your biggest supporters with headphones, listening to your music. And I I put a little a little tribute to Jesse too in the corner. Oh my god, stop. I love this.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

That's awesome. This is what I've been working on for 40 minutes. That is amazing. I love this. That's so sick. I love that. Yeah, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_07 44:28

That's awesome. I was pretty excited. Oh, one more. Sorry. Yes, yes. So so I was trying to think of how to put your message to your future self on here. And I I did my own spin on it. Okay. This is this is you at a sold-out stadium because that's what I see in your future. So all those little dots are people. Amazing. Cool. Very cool.

SPEAKER_08 44:57

I also see that for your future. I'm telling you, I'm calling it right now. You are going to be one of the next biggest things. I'm telling you right now, you're too incredible of a writer not to, man. Truly. Like you. I can't say it enough. Um, so we do have a fun little game here that we like to play. Have you ever played a game? Oh, you definitely have played this Cards Against Humanity. Yes. Okay. So this is the music version of that. I'm gonna go prompt, and you have to respond with the title of a song. Now you can choose to be funny or serious. That is up to you.

SPEAKER_03 45:36

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_08 45:37

And we will do 10 of these.

SPEAKER_03 45:40

Okay, any song or a song like in my

Music Cards Game And Wild Picks

SPEAKER_03 45:43

catalog, right? Nope, any song. Any song, okay. I'm locked in.

SPEAKER_08 45:46

Helps your fans kind of get to know you and your personality a little better. Okay. All right. The song that plays at your last child's uh wedding. So when when you're an empty nester.

SPEAKER_03 46:02

Oh god, this is hard. I like that they said last child and not youngest child.

SPEAKER_08 46:07

When I'm an empty nester, I think it's like a UK game, so it speaks a little different there.

SPEAKER_03 46:16

Born to run by Bruce Springsteen.

SPEAKER_08 46:18

I like that answer. I like that answer.

SPEAKER_06 46:21

I like it.

SPEAKER_08 46:22

I'm thinking, I'm thinking uh uh moving out by Billy Joel.

SPEAKER_03 46:26

I know, I was trying to think, I'm like, I don't know, it's one or the other, something something crazy.

SPEAKER_08 46:32

Uh Taylor, do you have one?

SPEAKER_07 46:35

I don't know. For some reason, the first song that popped in my head was Piano Man.

SPEAKER_08 46:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 46:42

It just it just seems like a D-Mester song. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. Good and tell you.

SPEAKER_08 46:50

The best song about California.

SPEAKER_00 46:53

Oh uh Long December by County Crows.

SPEAKER_03 46:58

Oh okay. I will say one time we my bass player and I drove from New Jersey to Los Angeles, like Hollywood, and I played that song 3,000 times, probably across the country. So my bass player hates that song. But so funny.

SPEAKER_08 47:18

It's like that episode of The Office where uh where he plays Life as a Highway.

SPEAKER_00 47:23

Life is a Highway, yeah. It's exactly like that.

SPEAKER_08 47:26

Dude, the Counting Crows, what a great reference. I love the Counting Crows. Yeah, especially that album.

SPEAKER_00 47:32

That album I know, great album, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 47:34

Great album, dude. Um Taylor, do you have a song in mind for for California?

SPEAKER_07 47:40

I don't know the name of it. Can I sing it? Will you know the name of it?

SPEAKER_08 47:44

Yeah, go for it.

SPEAKER_07 47:45

California. California.

SPEAKER_08 47:51

Isn't that California love?

SPEAKER_07 47:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 47:56

Uh that's not Tupac, is it?

SPEAKER_07 48:01

Yeah, I don't, you're asking me too many questions now.

SPEAKER_08 48:03

I don't know. But California love it. I know that.

SPEAKER_07 48:06

I don't think it's Tupac.

SPEAKER_03 48:07

That feels like the other one we play a lot in the van when we're in California is the one that's like the theme song to is it the OC where it's like California?

SPEAKER_08 48:18

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:22

Whatever that is.

SPEAKER_08 48:25

I I'm gonna be basic. I'm gonna go California Cation by the Chili Peppers.

SPEAKER_07 48:29

So I was gonna say that one, but I knew you were gonna say it.

SPEAKER_08 48:34

Um, best song for writing a sparkling unicorn across a rainbow.

SPEAKER_03 48:41

Oh what can you remember? Honestly, maybe like Pink Pony Club by Chapel Rose on the black. Yes, yes, yes. You know what I mean? Like something like that, or something like I don't know. Yeah, I feel like that's that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_08 48:57

Pink Pony Club is a great answer.

SPEAKER_03 48:59

Yeah, Pink Pony Club for sure.

SPEAKER_08 49:01

Uh I wish uh oh, you know what? Smashmouth's all-star is mine.

SPEAKER_00 49:06

Yeah, that's a good one. That's a good one, or like party rock anthem, and just like oh yeah, yeah, gangham style, gang style.

SPEAKER_08 49:15

Nice, nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 49:18

It was Tupac, by the way. I had to Google it your was it?

SPEAKER_08 49:21

I thought so. I thought so.

SPEAKER_07 49:22

Good poll, good poll.

SPEAKER_08 49:24

What is your favorite hair metal song?

SPEAKER_03 49:28

Oh god, I don't even know. Uh what is even considered uh hair metal? Like, thank you.

SPEAKER_07 49:37

I had the same question.

SPEAKER_08 49:38

Oh, uh what are we considering that nowadays?

SPEAKER_03 49:42

Maybe like if I want to like rock and roll all night, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 49:47

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 49:48

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, something like that. Because honestly, I sing that like that's kind of like my nervous tick thing that I sing backstage when we're about to go on.

SPEAKER_00 49:57

I'm like, or like put another time in a two box, baby.

SPEAKER_03 50:01

Oh no, like those are the two that when I'm like am ready to go on, just know that's like what I'm like singing in the door everyone around me with.

SPEAKER_08 50:10

Do you have any like backstage like things like rituals or anything?

SPEAKER_03 50:15

Not so I warm up for like an hour before every show, like by myself because I'm embarrassed, and I feel like like I've there's some people that I've met that like can warm up in front of other people, and I'm not one of those people because I sound like a dying walrus when I'm doing it, obviously. So like I do have like that ritual, but it's not like I'm not like lighting candles or anything, I'm just like sitting there like humming and singing.

SPEAKER_08 50:42

You're right. You you've had the privilege of uh of hanging out with some pretty cool people. Um and if I need to cut this, we can. That's totally fine. I got you. Is there anything backstage that you've been like I didn't know they were like that?

SPEAKER_03 51:02

Honestly, no, not really. There hasn't been any like crazy, like whoa, you know, like I feel like for the most part, everyone is realistically pretty, like pretty just normal humans, you know. At least so far. So far, you'll be the first to know if I run into anything crazy. Don't worry.

SPEAKER_08 51:19

I just immediately think like uh like the Keith Richards, there has to be brown MMs, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:25

And it's funny because like we have like a rider now that we like submit, but for us, we're just like water, Gatorade, fruit, you know, like we're very just like whatever you want to give us, we'll take.

SPEAKER_08 51:37

So yeah, it took a long time for me to understand, but like the outrageous writers that some of the artists have, yeah, they do have a good reason for it on that level. It's like, well, we need to make sure you get that right because that tells us what the rest of the production is gonna be.

SPEAKER_03 51:55

Yeah, yeah, I've also heard that. Yeah, one of the funniest writers I've seen personally, I will say, I forget who it was, but it was it was like a really long list. Yes, it said like bananas, yada yada yada yada, bananas, yada yada yada, banana, and it had bananas like four separate times, like on the long list. They're just like bananas four separate times, and I thought that was really funny.

SPEAKER_08 52:22

Taylor, do you have what would be like your outrageous like writer request? Oh mine would be an Xbox, and then and then I would leave it. Yeah, yeah, I would get it, I would play it backstage, and then I would just leave it for whoever's there.

SPEAKER_07 52:42

Yeah, perfect. Mine would probably be Fiji Wander. Okay, or a crisp bloom energy.

SPEAKER_03 52:51

Okay. What kind of budget? I will say that that is something that's I the bougiest thing that I ask for, and I mostly ask for it to see if I can get it is yeah, in Jersey, I feel like Yerba Mate's or Yerba Madres or whatever, they're hard. Like I can't find them in Jersey too often. So I feel like I put that on them, and when I get one, I'm like, yeah, so that's like our that is our like bougie thing. Like one.

SPEAKER_08 53:18

I'm too white trash for that. I'd be like, Can I get a Mountain Dew Kickstart, please?

SPEAKER_00 53:23

Can I get a Baja Blas? Taco Bell, please.

SPEAKER_08 53:28

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 53:28

Just one Don't you know? Taco Bell gift card, honestly. Taco Bell gift card, I'll be okay.

SPEAKER_08 53:34

We we take payment in Taco Bell gift cards. Yeah. Um, what song would you have played while defending the Alamo?

SPEAKER_03 53:45

Oh um. I don't know. I feel like it'd have to be something like I will I would want to bring peace, you know. Like I want the battle to end when the server starts playing. Like, I don't know, like uh probably like uh what's the probably like creed, like oh yeah, or something like this.

SPEAKER_08 54:17

I don't know why, but I immediately thought of Billy Squires the stroke. I I have no idea.

SPEAKER_04 54:23

All right, all right.

SPEAKER_08 54:26

But I like that answer. I like yeah, that's a that's a better answer.

SPEAKER_00 54:30

You take me higher, and everyone just drops their weapons.

SPEAKER_08 54:34

What's the what's the hold me now? Hold me now.

SPEAKER_01 54:36

Hold me now sexy from yeah, something like that.

SPEAKER_08 54:42

Yeah. All right. Best song to montage a summer from your youth.

SPEAKER_07 54:50

Oh, oh that's my answer has never changed. What is it for the for this one?

SPEAKER_08 54:56

I'm ready.

SPEAKER_07 54:57

I need to know summer girls.

SPEAKER_08 54:59

Lf o nice.

SPEAKER_07 55:01

All right, all right.

SPEAKER_08 55:03

This one fits your your catalog.

SPEAKER_03 55:09

Yeah, all right. I don't know. I feel I feel like I have I have made montages of my youthful summers before, and if I feel like I always use so one of my favorite bands is a band called Florist, they're from like upstate New York, they're just like indie folk band, and I always use one of their songs, and they have a song called Eyes in the Sun, and I feel like that's like a perfect summer ending. Yeah, I just remember there was one summer in my life where I drove down to the shore like five times a week, and I only listened to Florist for that whole summer, and then my Spotify rapped, I was there like point zero zero zero zero zero one percent. I love how dude, I love that.

SPEAKER_08 55:55

I'm gonna check them out.

SPEAKER_03 55:56

I've never yeah, florist, I can't recommend enough.

SPEAKER_08 55:59

Last one, guys. All right, road trip to Vegas song.

SPEAKER_01 56:04

Oh road trip to Vegas.

SPEAKER_03 56:11

Honestly, we just toured with a band called Young Culture, and they have a song called Holiday in Vegas, and I feel like that is what I would play honestly the entire way there. After watching that song live every night, I'm like, that's definitely what I'm listening to. I we we were talking on this last tour, actually. We've never been to Vegas, and I know the second we go to Vegas for the first time, that is the only song we're gonna listen to. So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_08 56:40

What about you, Taylor?

SPEAKER_07 56:42

I don't know. Road trip to Vegas. Like, what would be the vibe? Um party, is it on business? I would say my heart away.

SPEAKER_08 56:50

I would say party. I immediately jump to um um TikTok by Cash Up. Oh, that's a good one. I that's a good one. Uh uh, what's that song?

SPEAKER_07 57:01

Uh yeah, by by Usher and Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus.

SPEAKER_08 57:07

Actually, there you go. Yeah, that's on the trip back. Yeah, all right, David. Thank you so much for being on the show today, man.

SPEAKER_01 57:19

Thank you guys. Seriously, it was so much fun. This is awesome.

SPEAKER_08 57:22

Absolutely. I really appreciate your time. Yeah, um, everybody, bike routes, bike routes, however you want to say it, check them out. The new album, Prairie, comes out June 26th. Check out all of their catalog, absolutely incredible. Um, check them out live, check out the live dates,

Final Thanks And Band Shoutouts

SPEAKER_08 57:41

and again, man, thank you so much. You're welcome back anytime and and keep in touch. Yeah, on the old Instagram, so yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 57:49

And I hope to see you guys in Richmond or wherever, anywhere in the world. Yeah, anywhere.

SPEAKER_08 57:54

If I can make it, I'll be there.

SPEAKER_03 57:56

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_08 57:57

All right, man. Take care.

SPEAKER_01 57:59

Awesome. Thank you guys, seriously. See you later. Of course, for well.

SPEAKER_07 58:07

And then there were two.

SPEAKER_08 58:11

Oh man, I love Mike Routes. Bike routes, bike roots. I love them. I love them so much.

SPEAKER_07 58:17

I love David. I love his interview.

SPEAKER_08 58:19

David's awesome. David's awesome. He was awesome in person. I love I love dude, I love the picture.

SPEAKER_07 58:27

The character.

SPEAKER_08 58:31

This album right

Popsicles Chocolate And Ice Cream Chaos

SPEAKER_08 58:32

here of theirs. I I wanted them to sign it. I don't think they signed it. I don't remember. I think I wanted them to sign it. I I almost I wanted them to sign it.

SPEAKER_04 58:49

Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_08 58:50

Um, but I didn't have them sign it because I wanted to keep it sealed during the show. But look at the look at the album.

SPEAKER_07 58:57

The dude, that's so cool.

SPEAKER_08 59:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 59:02

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_08 59:05

Anyhow.

SPEAKER_07 59:06

Anyhow. Now I have to go play frisbee with my dog, though.

SPEAKER_08 59:13

You gotta listen to that song, Taylor.

SPEAKER_07 59:15

Is it gonna make me cry?

SPEAKER_08 59:16

I don't know. The whole album makes me cry.

SPEAKER_07 59:19

Oh, well, then certainly it's gonna make me cry. I've been trying to not cry as much. I've been I've been working on well so not going well.

SPEAKER_08 59:27

The delayed gratification song. That one always hits me hard because I think of like my relationship with our dad, yeah, and like you know, the the struggles that we've gone through. And then I think of like how I want to be for Adam. And every every time I listen to that song, dude, I I lose it. I lost it three times today because I was listening to their stuff in preparation.

SPEAKER_07 59:52

Yeah. So um, wait, before we get off here, I had to air some birdie laundry about you and your son. Oh, okay. Is everyone listening? So Harley's sweet little baby, my perfect baby nephew, was eating a popsicle yesterday.

SPEAKER_08 1:00:10

Poppysicle. A popsy sickle. A popsy sickle. Poppysicle.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:15

And you guys, now I want everyone listening. Sorry, this is such a random thing, but I want everyone listening to think about their favorite popsicle. When you think of a popsicle, I want to know what pops in your head when you think of a popsy sickle. Okay, was it purple? Is anyone out there? Did anyone did anyone out there think purple?

unknown 1:00:39

Purple?

SPEAKER_07 1:00:41

You think purple popsicle? He likes it.

SPEAKER_08 1:00:46

Stop right now.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:47

It shouldn't have even been an opposite.

SPEAKER_08 1:00:49

It's just sugar water.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:51

No, it is purple, and I hello. I'm going to say it and I'm gonna stand by it.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:59

That's so funny.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:00

It's the worst artificial flavored thing. Okay, okay. I an artificial grape flavor is nasty.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:09

I agree.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:10

It tastes, you know what? It makes sense. Your baby loves Tylenol, and I know that's what that popsicle tasted like.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:17

So he does. He loves some Tylenol. Um I can name 70 Bogemon. No, no, no, no, no, no. Listen, listen, listen, listen. In the popsicle world, I enjoy a great popsicle.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:34

That's wrong. You're right.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:35

But also, I agree with you, it is not like my go-to.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:38

It's like that's what I'm saying. It's like the last of the barrel. Like the bottom of the barrel. You're like, oh, I want to, I want a popsicle. It's that and those green ones. Those puppies are the last to go.

SPEAKER_08 1:01:49

No, listen, listen, that's where I draw the line. Because you're you're saying you're saying purple popsicle is the worst. When we both know those green ones and the yellow ones exist, those are always the last to go. Those go in the trash, they don't even go in your mouth. Those are the ones that you find four years later in the freezer, and you're like, why the hell do we still have these? And then when they started putting in the white ones, the the like pina colada flavored ones, those ones go in the trash.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:20

Those are those ones, those ones don't even get frozen, they can get in the trash as a liquid.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:25

They taste like sun tanning lotion.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:27

Yes, I think all coconut things taste like sun tanning lotion, though. I think I think coconut flavored things are gross.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:33

So realistically, realistically, we've just taken out half of the container, uh, half of the colors. So it in in superiority order, it goes blue, blue always is number one, pink, number two, red, red, number three.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:51

Oh, I'm gonna say something crazy. I would switch the pink and the red. I would. I love a red popsicle.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:56

Fair enough. I I was on the fence on it, anyways. So we'll go we'll go blue. Blue is superior, always superior, number one, and then we go red, and then pink, and then grape.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:14

I just see here's here's the thing is I hate it.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:16

Followed by orange, green, yellow, and no, the orange ones are fired.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:21

I would put orange before grape.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:23

I have an artist color. You're crazy, and here's why. Because we both know that creamsickles exist. And why the hell would you ever eat an orange popsicle without vanilla ice cream?

SPEAKER_07 1:03:36

I'm gonna say something crazy. I don't love creamsicle.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:39

Gut your face. I want to what? No, you're wrong. You're wrong. A dreams, a dreamsickle from from uh I don't love it. Fuck, what is Dairy Queen? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:55

The Julia or whatever.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:57

You're crazy.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:59

It's orange sherbert with vanilla ice cream in the center. It's magical.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:06

Don't love. I also don't love a Reese cup.

SPEAKER_08 1:04:11

You know what? I also don't love a Reese cup. Well, well, all right, so now we're talking about the chocolate world. This is okay, so if we're talking about the chocolate world, right?

SPEAKER_07 1:04:21

Can we bring David back?

SPEAKER_08 1:04:22

Is he if we're talking about the chocolate world, when you compare the options of chocolate, Reese's cup is up there.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:33

No, I don't know.

SPEAKER_08 1:04:35

You're wrong. You're so wrong.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:37

Like I have to be in the mood.

SPEAKER_08 1:04:38

What are you gonna grab? A Hershey's yeah, over a over a Reese's cup? You're crazy. You're crazy. You're picking the worst of the chocolate, number one. Hershey's is garbage chocolate when things like Lindor truffles exist. It's not I won't even just for s'mores.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:59

Ghiradelli.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:01

Ghirardelli. Ghiradelli on the top tier of chocolate.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:05

Even even a dove. I got a dove over here.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:07

A dove is still above Hershey's.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:10

I'm just saying, I don't I don't love a recent.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:14

Those ones that come in the little golden circle things, the Rickenbachers, or whatever.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:18

What did you just call them?

SPEAKER_08 1:05:20

Rick ricochets? I don't know. The Rush Limbaugh's. Yes, that's the one.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:28

I think they're pretty nasty.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:31

Oh my god, they're so but those are still better than a Hershey.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:36

Literally, they taste like style.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:38

But also you like that chocolate? But also, Reese's is still like number two. I would still take a Reese's cup if I if I have a bunch of chocolate sitting out. Let's say there's a Twix, a Reese's, uh Kit Kat, dude, and a Hershey bar, and a Butterfinger's. I'm going for the Reese's. You're wrong because Reese's is always the one that's missing. That's why I still have Twix and Hershey bars and Butterfinger.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:08

No, no, I would choose any of those over Reese's. I don't love a Reese's. It has I have to be in the mood and it has to be in the freezer.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:15

It has to be in the freezer. I agree with you.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:17

It has to be in the freezer.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:18

It either needs to be in the freezer or the fridge. It needs to be cold 100%. But also the dark.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:24

Can't we bring even back? Because that's going to be my my ask.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:31

The dark chocolate Reese's are hands down better than any other Reese's. Far superior to every other Reese's. I move up dark chocolate in general. Dark chocolate in general. I'm past. I have aged out of milk chocolate. Don't give me regular chocolate. Yeah, don't give me regular chocolate. Dark chocolate. That was a great taste.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:51

Yeah, I never once I found out that dark chocolate existed. The rest was kind of trash.

SPEAKER_08 1:06:59

Yeah, yeah. As soon as you taste your dark chocolate. Yeah. It's too sweet. Regular chocolate is too sweet.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:06

Too sweet. I want a dark chocolate.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:07

It's too much. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:09

Too much.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:10

I agree with you on that. I'm glad that we could agree on something because that was crazy.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:16

I just I don't love it. Do you want to see these peeps that I found?

SPEAKER_08 1:07:19

What's your favorite ice cream?

SPEAKER_07 1:07:22

Chocolate with sprinkles.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:25

I can't, I can't, I can't trust anything you say.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:29

Or I've been recently loving from I almost like cracker barrel. Hello?

SPEAKER_08 1:07:36

Coldstone.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:39

From Cold Stone.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:41

I've been really loving that cracker barrel mac and cheese ice cream.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:46

Look what I found. Look what I found.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:50

Oh, peeps.

SPEAKER_07 1:07:52

Butterbeer. Um, anywho, yours, you like a you like a butter pecan.

SPEAKER_08 1:07:56

You're I am a butter pecan guy. Actually, I fun fact. I'm gonna get off this show and I'm gonna go talk my family into going and getting ice cream. You should.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:05

It'll help ice cream. It will. He's a French vanilla guy. You wanna know what I think?

SPEAKER_08 1:08:12

It's not even ice cream.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:14

Okay, well, it's a French vanilla flavor.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:16

Well, he's not even he's he's 75 in a in a 20-year-old body. That's wild. Who who goes who goes out for ice cream and goes, let me treat myself with a little French vanilla? You know, the thing I put in my coffee to make my coffee okay to drink. Let me I would love to just have a whole ball of that. The the ice cream that he picked is something other people use as an accent on other desserts. I know what vanilla, regular vanilla would be a better choice than French vanilla.

SPEAKER_07 1:08:56

Well, it depends on where you're going. Now, now if if we're getting the Briars ice cream, he just gets the vanilla.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:03

Who gets Briars?

SPEAKER_07 1:09:05

Dude, it's fire.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:07

No, we've we have we have elevated.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:10

I what ice cream are you in?

SPEAKER_08 1:09:13

If you're out there listening, don't take this offensively, even though it's probably offensive, but I don't care. I have moved out of that income tax bracket. I don't eat Briars.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:22

What I eat Hodgins Doggins.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:26

Ben and Jerry's.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:29

I eat Hodgins Doggins.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:32

I think that's uh not how it's pronounced. That's a German ice cream.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:36

Hodgins Doggins?

SPEAKER_08 1:09:37

Yeah. Anyhow.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:41

Anywho.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:42

I I eat Ben and Jerry's, um, but honestly, I don't even like Ben and Jerry's. I'm a Baskin Robbins kid.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:50

You're but you're a Baskin Robbins kid.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:52

I but it's only because they're the only ones that do a butter pecan milkshake.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:56

This is true.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:56

You can't find it anywhere.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:58

I love we have a place down here called Jeremiah's, and it does like a gelato situation. So you get like a gelato and you can mix it with a soft serve, and it is it pretty much is like a like a creamsicle, I guess. I get mango though, I don't get orange.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:13

It sounds like the little uh Rita's ice cream places that are everywhere.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:18

They do the same thing. Jeremiah's is better.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:21

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:22

Yeah, um, you should you guys should come down and try it. When when are you and your wife and your baby gonna come visit me? Real talk.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:28

Um, eventually. I would like to.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:31

Okay. Anywho.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:34

Um, yeah, I would I would like to. Uh definitely not this year. There's no way this year.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:39

No, I literally can't function if any more people come to visit me.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:43

Agreed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:46

McKenna's next on my list.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:47

So there you go.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:48

You guys will have to go after her.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:50

That's fine. Um I think this was one of my favorite episodes we've done, buddy.

SPEAKER_07 1:10:56

This, yeah, this was a really good time. I listen, for everyone listening, I'm sure you love the tail end of these where it makes no sense. You guys like you really want music things, or can we talk more random food talk? Because I have a lot of thoughts.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:11

We we need to start doing the off the record show.

SPEAKER_07 1:11:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:16

Um, any any who's it, I want to go get this ice cream situation resolved.

SPEAKER_07 1:11:22

Okay. So if you liked today's episode, and I know you did, go ahead and give it a big thumbs up, subscribe, and don't forget to hit that bell notification so you can be notified every time we post a new video.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:33

Um, check out the Patreon, guys. It's doing incredible. Shout out to all of our Patreon members over there. Um, if you want me to say like a list of your names at the end of these episodes, I can.

Patreon Plugs And Sign Off

SPEAKER_08 1:11:47

Uh I never even thought about asking people that, but like check out our Patreon. We have a lot of great stuff over there. That's where all of the video episodes of Dark Side of the Music are. Um, I'm putting all of our live streams up over there. Um, what else we got over there? I put recently I put up something for Taylor where I was reminiscing. Um, yeah, you should look sometime.

SPEAKER_07 1:12:10

Um I literally don't know how to get on it.

SPEAKER_08 1:12:13

Where I was reminiscing through that. I can try. Uh, but where I was reminiscing about her graduating college, I put I found um the college video that I put together for you for the show, and I put that on there for people to watch. So uh, anyways, check out the Patreon, check out our Instagram, all that good stuff. It has been real, everybody. Thank you again and peace.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:40

Thanks for listening to the Hokin Brains Podcast.